Two specimens of loggerhead turtles released on the Andalusian coast in October 2021 have managed to cross the Strait of Sicily, which separates Tunisia and the Italian island, and reach the central Mediterranean. Baptized as Ana and Marina, they are two of the great travelers among the 10 turtles that were tagged and released in 2021 on the coast of Andalusia and Catalonia, within the framework of the LIFE INTEMARES project, coordinated by the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge. The objective of this action is to improve knowledge of the species during its first stages of life, in the so-called “lost years” due to the lack of information about the species at this stage of its life, and to support the conservation of the species at a global level.

Specifically, these two specimens were tagged and released on the coast of Fuengirola along with three others, after a year of stay in captive breeding programs. The release of the other five remaining turtles took place in Catalonia, specifically, on the coast of Tarragona. Two of them have dispersed through the Balearic Sea, Bel·la and Vicent, and another, Intemares, through the Ligurian Sea, near the Italian Mediterranean coast, although in recent weeks all of them have headed towards lower latitudes. Of the 10 specimens released in total, seven continue to emit signals, while the reason for the loss of emission is unknown for now.

After six months of monitoring, the scientists have found that the turtles from captive breeding programs are successfully adapting to their reintroduction into the sea, as a high survival value has been confirmed.

In addition, they have compared these results with those obtained in similar work carried out in 2017 of satellite tagging of another 10 turtles from captive breeding programs, where it has been verified that the dispersal areas between the specimens of different nests have been different but that the degree of survival is similar, which is a success for the conservation of the species.

MEASURES FOR ITS CONSERVATION

To strengthen their protection, several important areas have been identified for the conservation of loggerhead turtle calves and juveniles released at different times of the year. In autumn, the core of the grazing area is located between the Balearic Islands and the coasts of the Valencian Community and Catalonia.

However, in winter, the area of importance moves to the southeast of the Mediterranean basin, an area whose protection requires international collaboration. In this case, the Algerian basin continues to be the most important area, but the Sicilian Channel also continues to be relevant, as well as the area between the Ebro Delta, Cabo de la Nao in Jávea (Alicante) and the Balearic Islands.

Along these lines, the technical study, prepared by the Eucrante Association, proposes the designation in these areas of new protected marine areas or specific measures to reduce the mortality of juveniles of the species, in order to improve their conservation status.

On the other hand, the results show that the use of captive breeding programs and nest location and monitoring represent a key factor to favor the colonization of the loggerhead turtle on our beaches, since the specimens studied have been able to adapt to the environment after their release, as indicated by their high survival rate.

EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF PROTECTED AREAS

The LIFE INTEMARES project is moving towards the objective of achieving effective management of the marine areas of the Natura 2000 Network, with the active participation of the sectors involved and with research as the basic tools.

The Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge coordinates the project. The Ministry itself, through the Directorate-General for Biodiversity, Forests and Desertification and the Sub-Directorate for the Protection of the Sea; the Regional Government of Andalusia, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Sustainable Development, as well as the Environment and Water Agency; the Spanish Institute of Oceanography; AZTI; the University of Alicante; the Polytechnic University of Valencia; the Spanish Fisheries Confederation, SEO/BirdLife and WWF-Spain. It is supported by the LIFE Program of the European Union.